Tile structure and tiles therefor.



No. 639,637. Patented Dec. l9, I899. F. L. 0. WADSWURTH.

TILE STRUCTURE AND TILES THEREFOR.

(Application med Apr. 12, 1898. Renewed May 28, 1899.1

(No Model.)

akkwawl a UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

FRANK L. O. VVADSWVORTH, OF \VILLIAMS BAY, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TC WILLIAM A. BOND, TRUSTEE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TILE STRUCTURE AND TILES THEREFOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,637, dated December 1899'- Application filed April 12, 1898. Renewed May 23, 1899. Serial No. 717,952. (No model.)

4 To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK L. O. VVADS- WORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Williams Bay, in the county of Walworth and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tile Structures and Tiles Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to firmly unite tiles or plates in a plane'to form panels, platforms, &c.; and to this end I provide the tiles or plates with metallic strips secured to the same ,at the edges, as fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1, 2, 3, and 5 are sectional views of parts of tile structures embodying my improvement, but showing different forms of edge strips. Fig. 4 is an edge View of a tile, showing the edge strip differently arranged; and Fig. 6 is a detached view of the edge strip shown in connection with the tiles in Fig. 5. The tiles or platesN N may be of the forms and materials which it is desired to assemble and connect to form panels, platforms, &G., and,as shown in Fig. 1 are the prismatic panels of an illuminating structure. In connecting such tiles they have frequently been arranged in aplane, with theiredges slightly separated, and a framework has been formed by pouring molten metal into the intervening spaces, but this has proved unsatisfactory from the lack of adhesion between the framework and the tiles. To overcome this defect, I embed in the edges of each tile a'metallic strip a of any suitable character. These strips may be of different forms. As shown in Fig. 1 they are fiat strips with beveled edges, which pre vent the lateral detachment of the strips. The like result is secured by embedding a round strip or wire, Fig. 2, to more than half its thickness, or the flat strip'maybe secured or anchored by bending back tongue portions 3 3, Fig. 6, which when embedded in the body of the tile, Fig. 5, in molding the latter, secure a firm hold. The tiles, with the edge strips of any of the described or suitable forms, are assembled in a flat plane, with their edges slightly separated, and the connectingframe A is cast or formed by electrodeposit between the separated edges, the metal of the frame A becoming practically welded or soldered to the strips a, and thereby firmly uniting the tiles together.

The strips a may fully cover the faces of the 5 5 tiles, as in Fig. 5, or only partially cover the same, as in other figures, and serve in any case to strengthen the tile and prevent fracture.

All the tiles need not be alike. Forinstance, some may have a single strip and others double strips, as in Fig. 3. The strips may also be zigzag, as in Fig. 4.

An important feature in the above construction applicable to blocks, plates, &c., for various purposes is the partial embedding of the metallic strips in the faces of the glass.

The strips thus strengthen the glass, and being partially exposed can contract or expand without fracturing the glass.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction described and shown, I claim 1. A tile structure consisting of tiles having metallic strips a, at the edges and united by intervening metallic strips A, substantially as described.

2. A tile structure consisting of tiles having metallic strips to, embedded in the edge portions thereof and intervening metallic strips A, united to the strips a, substantially as described.

3. A tile provided with metallic strips a ar-' ranged permanently at the edges and forming part of the tile, for the purpose set forth.

4. A tile provided with metallic strips permanently embedded in the edge portions thereof, substantially as described.

5. A tile, having metallic strips secured permanently to the same and covering the edges and forming a part thereof, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination with a non-metallic plate or block, of metallic strips embedded in and partially exposed at the face of the plate or block, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK L. O. IVADSWORTH.

Witnesses:

HARRY E. HAY, W. CLARENCE DUVALL. 

